MNA 2025 Spring Education Day

Unveiling the Beauty of our Common Humanity: Lessons learned about communication, connection, and health equity

Date: April 24, 2025
Time: 12:45pm – 5:30pm
Venue: Eastern Michigan University, McKenny Hall Ballroom. 878 W, Cross St, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(A Z
oom option will be made available to those unable to attend in person)
Cost: $35 for non-members, Free for students and MNA members
Professional development contact hours: 4.0 (2 will count towards Implicit Bias training) 

Join us for an engaging and interactive presentation that delves into the crucial themes of communication, implicit biases, language barriers, and restorative justice efforts. This live 4 hour session will explore how unconscious biases influence our interactions and decision-making, while also addressing the challenges and solutions related to language barriers in the hospital setting. Through real-life examples and participatory activities, attendees will gain practical strategies to enhance communication, foster inclusivity, and implement restorative practices that promote fairness, accountability, and healing within their communities. Discover how to create a more understanding and equitable world, one conversation at a time.

Target Audience: RNs and any member of the healthcare workforce interested in gaining or expanding knowledge on communication, implicit bias and healthcare equity.

Featured Speakers

Samantha Guyah, LMSW
Program Manager
Healthcare Equity Consult Service
Michigan Medicine-Ann Arbor

Samantha received her Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan in 2015. She currently serves as one of the program managers for the Healthcare Equity Consult Service at Michigan Medicine, which is ‘one of its kind’ in the nation, developed to support equitable care for patients clinically and systemically to optimize the patient experience and quality care outcomes. She is the DEI Implementation Lead for Michigan Medicine’s Social Work Department and chairs the department’s Diversity Committee. Samantha’s experience working with populations across the lifespan in both inpatient and outpatient settings has furthered her engagement in departmental and institutional efforts for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Kayleigh Schwartz MS, RN, CPNP
Advanced Practice Provider
CS Mott Children’s Hospital Michigan Medicine
LEO Adjunct Lecturer
University of Michigan School of Nursing

Kayleigh Schwartz is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She went to the University of Michigan for both her bachelor and master’s in nursing. She has worked as a Nurse Practitioner with the pediatric hematology/oncology and bone marrow transplant team at the University of Michigan since 2017. She also holds a faculty role at the University of Michigan School of Nursing teaching in the undergraduate nursing program. Her special interests include identifying and reducing health care disparities within pediatric hematology/oncology, precepting/mentorship with Nurse Practitioners and teaching/education in undergraduate nursing. 

Imam Kamau Ayubbi, BA
Spiritual Care Chaplain
Healthcare Equity Consult Service
Michigan Medicine- Ann Arbor

Imam Kamau Ayubbi grew up in Los Angeles, California. He received his bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University in Visual Art in1998. During undergrad, Kamau also enjoyed an internship in Holistic Health studies. He received his religious and spiritual education and training under the Islamic Supreme Council of America (ISCA) and was appointed as an Imam in 2002. Imam Ayubbi received his Clinical Pastoral Education (chaplaincy training) at Beaumont CPE Center in Royal Oak, MI. Before serving at University of Michigan Hospital and Health Systems, Imam Ayubbi worked as a staff chaplain in Adult Palliative Care and in a Cardiac Progressive Care Unit at Beaumont Royal Oak from 2010-2015. He has been serving at Michigan Medicine Ann Arbor from 2015-Present providing Muslim Patient care, Pediatric Spiritual Care, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatric spiritual care, and now Healthcare Equity Program management and consultation. 

Key Objectives:

  1. Participants will be able to define implicit biases and recognize their potential impact on interpersonal interactions and decision-making processes

  2. Participants will gain an understanding of the challenges associated with language barriers, including how they affect communication and access to services, and learn strategies to address language barriers

  3. Participants will learn how restorative justice practices can be used to build stronger communities by promoting accountability, healing, and reconciliation

Contact hours: 4.0

Successful completion criteria:

  1. Attend the live presentation in its entirety
  2. Successfully complete post session evaluation for the presentation
  3. Nurses who attend the session in its entirety and complete the session evaluation form will be awarded 4.0 professional development contact hours.

Activity Outcome (for entire session):

80% of participants will report that the session provided information that enhanced or validated current knowledge.

Relevant Financial Relationships and Commercial bias:

No relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or commercial bias exist for anyone in the position to control content for this activity.

Contact: ce@minurses.org

Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.